Assalam-0-Alaikum
Please see this video first and then think about JIT I hope you can recognize the reality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmE-qUXfBhQ&feature=player_embedded

Ameer of Jamat e Islami accepting he is fan of Talibans and the best government was taliban’s government who are killing muslims and Pakistanis in Mosques, in Imam Bargahs and beheading Muslim soldiers. Government of pakistan should arrest this so-called “Mulla”

I always laugh at the slogan “Go America Go” or anything on banners from Pakistani rallies with word “Go” in it. I live in US and in US. “Go” literally mean Go on as in Basketball game, the fans with have a banner with the word for their favorite team with words “Go Chicago Bulls Go”, a word of cheer and celebration or telling the team “You Rock” “You Go” please keep scoring goals, we like it. Ha Ha. So, when ordinary Americans see these placards and banners in Pakistan with “Go America Go” they read it as, Please carry on what you are doing, we LOVE IT, as sort of affirmation of what is happening, and sort of open support from the “Pakistani Allies”. The correct wording should be “Leave _____ Leave” or “Go Away”. These protests are nothing but a COMEDY show for the American audiences, with such humorous choice of words.

This war or terror will never end. Pakistan army and ISI will never want this terror to end because this will stop the flow of dollars. So Pakistan will always be begging to US as there will be no money left once the defence budget is cleared. In 2009,indians are spending 30 billions on defence against pakistan’s six billion. To keep parity with the Indians, Pakistani army will ask for more, and ordinary people will have less on his plate. It is a catch22 situation for pakistani civilians,and there is no escape route for them in the forseeable future.

Pro-Islamic Organizations in South Asia even prior to 1947 have been plagiarising anarchist strategies and presenting them as Islamic. To indulge themselves in this process they had to begin migrating to America in some guise or the other. Americans soon realized that they could use such Islamic organizations for the benefit of capitalism and that it would become easier for them to gear American educational institutions to impart capitalist education to Pakistanis in America rather than in Pakistan.

enjoy the following quotation: “Prostitutes, my friend, are the only true philosophers. Actors are the only true legislators”.

thanx to NFP, yawar & others involved in this article so far. both the taleban and the antitaleban are being hypocritical but i don’t blame either simply because a lot of others the world over are in the same bandwagon. this hypocrisy is not going to get us anywhere. to mitigate its adverse affects an activist supreme court is essential. rather than pick up a fight with the executive branch of govt the supreme court should be requested to hit the nail on the head by (1) ordering both the rich and the poor to shape up: (a) no more wastage of resources on ornamental gardens which have to be replaced by stuff that is edible so that the poor have enough time left over to be able to educate themselves; (b) if alcohol for the antitaleban is restricted then similar restrictions ought to be placed on tobacco (the primary drug of the taleban). if this were america the legislature would probably have done so but we are stuck with a feudal legislature so that avenues are closed.

Go America Go !!! (But, please leave your dollars behind.) Pakistan’s society is setting new standards in hypocrisy. Who were the ones who gave us money to help the IDPs? Not our muslim “brothers” or our ardent friend China. It was the US and EU who gave us the money. Just ship all the mullahs and the bearded ones to Saudi and Pakistan will be a nation that can at the very least, stop begging for aid.

Stop looking at America for all the ills in this country. The problem we are facing is also very much ours and we need to look inside of ourselves instead of at the US, or Iran or China.
The most aid for the IDPs has come from Western countries, while China and Iran have looked the other way.
Wake up!

What Mr. Paracha can except from an organization, which my reading has made me think was against the creation of Pakistan and its founder. I want to remind Mr. Paracha that many people say that JI was the largest and open supporter or all the military dictators and now oppose them.

Do we really need an explanation as to why did those thousands of people marched on the roads of karachi on 28 june 2009.The demand is loud n clear.The presence of American army n private security agencies is not welcome in the region.

The major cause of instability in Pakistan is the American led War on Terror, I think. The Paksiatn Government should rely more on regional strategic partners like China and Iran. The quest to eliminate extremism will eventually end up in chaos and a possible dissolution of the country, I predict. the recent operation in swat n adjoining areas will further increase the sufferings of already troubled people of NWFP.

America has lost its war in Afghanistan n they r now trying to move into Pakistan, it seems. This was a trap from the very beginning and Jamat has always condemned The American influence in Pakistani politics.
NFP is a former member of NSF .He has some chronic allergy from Jamaat’s ideology n this is evident from his articles
criticizing Jammat’s policy on every issue.though he writes exceptionally well but the intention is not to have some general consensus developed among the readers but its purposefulness is lost when he drags the mind of reader from the real issue to something which is no issue.

i read all the listed comments and read many possible remedies for the betterment of Pakistan but i am totally not agree with anyone. Honestly speaking from my point of view , the only possible solution for a bright Pakistan is that we have to gave the control of all the administrative body to the British. We did not learn from our history in 60 years , so that’s why just like a medicine to cure we again need some type of British administrators….!!! i hope that most of you think me a misanthropic and a pessimistic but this is a reality.

Yawar saheb,
I am not a fan of JI, and am just pointing out that their policies are consistent. I am not a fan of Mr. Piracha but I do think his views with respect to Afghan occupation is consistent. I am not accusing any Marxist leader of getting money from the Soviets, but it is true that with the collapse of soviets all of a sudden they all turned pro-American.

Tipu saheb, by that logic those who want the literal implementation of their secularists ideas are similar to AlQaida as well. Is this how we should define the phrase ’similar to AlQaeda’ from now on? What is AlQaida? Just two men hiding in a cave used as a bugaboo by the war-mongers to scare the children of the world.

In my opinion, Jamate islami are somewhat similar to al qaida in that both want the enforcement of their interpretation of a literalist view of islamic sharia.
if they so claim it was the best (God given) system, why do many people feel that they don’t allow people to critically analyse their methods?

My father is a staunch believer s that at i had the access to many islamic books which i read but i was never satisfied when i analyzed it with the scientific secular system of modern time. I personally need some more convincing as to how their interpretation of the islamic system can bring improvements in the basic sectors like: Economy, Human Rights, Social Structure, Environment, Government, Human Condition, Philosophy and rational development.??

Let’s look at it this way, Bhai Manzer.
Rumors are that then the JI were getting their Dollars from US and Saudi Arabia. Now they are getting no dollars at all (from the US). Thus, cursing the US!
And I do wonder why the JI wern’t protesting when the West Pakistani Army was making a meal out of our Muslim Bengali brothers in former East Pakistan.
Have a break, bhai. Have a Kit Kat.
As a Marxist student leader Paracha burned an American flag,and the JI termed him a anti-Islam. Now that he is mocking this practice the same party still calls him a anti-Islam?

I don’t see any contradiction in JI’s stand: they were against occupation of Afghanistan by the Soviets they are now against US occupation of that country. I do not see any contradiction in Paracha’s stand either, he was for foreign occupation then and he is for foreign occupation now.

America is not the problem, the mullahs are

Gulsher says:

“Either live within your means or accept the dictation from charity givers.”

We cannot live within our means as long as we try to punch beyond our weight and seek strategic depths in other countries. Armies do not march on empty stomach. At this rate when we cannot meet even our bare budgetry numbers without external aid, how will we ever repay our huge and ever balooning external debt? But, do our leaders care enough to ever think of this simple arithmetic as long as they can line their pockets when the going is still good.

NFP
As being student of Karl Marx do you agree with Mr. Wasit for saying

Thank you Mr Paracha for telling us what we actually are – a nation of munafiqeen. That is why we command no respect not only in the Islamic but in the entire world.

NFP
Do you know Karl Marx theory (This univers is immortal)is destroyed by big bang (Universal is also mortal)?

Go America Go ! If America goes – then what happens. When there is no Yankee dollar where does Pakistan go? You will be used and abused if you are willing to be used and abused. You all have gone too far with the Americans to retract. Americans have all the beans on Pakistan down to the last penny that the Pakistani elite made from the US aid that was meant for the people of Pakistan. There is no choice now but to Go Along Go Along Pakistan. Pakistan made the wrong choice when it ran to America thinking that America will help Pakistan get Kashmir or protect it against India. Had in those initial days Pakistan made a sincere effort to approach India with a dialogue and not made Kashmir into a rabid national agenda things would have been different today – I am talking about the road to progress. None of all this would have happened JI, IJT, Taliban etc etc. But now you all have no choice. I once heard an American say weak countries and dictatorships are pliable material and thats where we step in. Americans going fishing is a dream now – you all have imbibed the demon now you have no choice but to feed it.

The article must have made Lenin & Stalin very happy in thier graves that one of their comrades is still fighting their fight.

I am of the opinion that the people of Pakistan will not tolerate foreign hegemony. On the basis of the self-same logic, the people of Pakistan would never agree to an internal hegemony. The two hegemonies compliment each other. If our people meekly submit to internal hegemony, they will have to submit to external hegemony. This is so because the strength and power of external hegemony is far greater than that of internal hegemony. If the people are too terrified to resist the weaker force, it is not possible for them to resist the stronger force. The acceptance of or acquiescence in internal hegemony means submission to external hegemony.

Syed Abul Al’a Moududi rightly said,

“The time will come when Communism will be under stress for its survival in Moscow itself and capitalistic democracy will be in a desperate plight to defend itself in Washington and New York even. Materialistic atheism will find its position untenable even in the universities of London and Paris. Racialism and nationalism will find no devotees even among the Brahmins and the Germans”. (30th December, 1946)

For years, we have been carrying the beggar’s bowl all over the world. Claim to sovereignty ends right there. Either live within your means or accept the dictation from charity givers. Those who pay the piper, select the tune, and we dance.

Why are we, as a nation,blaming others for our ills? Look at Iran they also had this problem of Afghan Refugees what did they do? They sealed those areas and didnt let the refugees enter their cities but we looked the other way and now the best thing for us to do is to blame the US,India and Israel for all ills besetting us?
Come on People grow up!!
The US has always helped Pakistan substantially and what have we done? We have always expanded our begging bowl. So why should they help us or let alone anyone else. Introspection I think would do wonders for us. Stop blaming others and take some responsibility Pakistanis. It is not too late but ….

Ironically ‘Go America Go’ does not mean America go away. It means America keep on doing what you are doing. It is meant like a “shabash”. Jamaat does not even their english.

Are we not so different? A man draws pictures of our Prophet, the people unite b/c the media has made it fashionable, the people chant slogans of war against the country and promise to ban the products created by this country. Today, the said person has not appologised, nor has the country.
A while ago my colleagues at SZABIST become anti Israel proclaiming they would ban anything related to Israel or USA. I dont see anyone getting rid of their luxury watches, cars, cell-phones, clothes…do you? And Palestine is still in Hell. We are all Liars, and that my brothers, is what we have in common with our enemies.

I think our problem is we want to talk and talk ….if we do our job ok, we will not be stuck with past….

“Each one of us who ever pretended to hold and propagate a lofty ideology at some point in time is guilty of being a hypocrite of some sort. It’s hard not to be one with an holier than thou attitude that is almost impossible in the modern world to live by.”

Ain’t that the truth. We are all guilty of the hypocrisy. This “hollier than thou attitiude” is mostly naivette, time and motive driven and most people around the World are guilty of it; one time or the other. It is a by-product of ignorance and intolerance towards another’s point of view. If only we could find the decency amongst ourselves to admit and acknowledge that point of views are just that and no more.

I feel all those who live the lives of luxury at the expense of the funds provided by the US and then turn around to bad mouth the benefactors; all for psuedo politcal foul play. The enlightened of Pakistan are only too obliging to fall victim to the incendiary speeches and hateful rhetoric. Look, sure enough the US Government (not the people) big distinction, has made some bone head moves like the War in Iraq. However, by and large when it comes to equality, justice and fairplay there is not a better nation in the World. There is more religious, social, cultural freedom in the US than I EVER witnessed in Pakistan. As an example, as a young lad whenever we attended the Moharram proceedings on the Tenth of Ashura, we were always mindfull of a potential for violence. (Shia’s commit enough violence upon themselves they certainly don’t need any help from the outsiders). However, in New York I know for sure the Shia’s without the slightest fear of reprisals or attack carry out the Ashura procession and live to tell about it. Can’t beat that! No pun intended!

All political leaders have luxurious dwellings in US or UK.
Someone has to lead disgruntled masses.
Having no other slogan to rally around, what could be better than America bashing.
As usual, the truth is oveshadowed.

Your comments not taken personally at all, Asif. Thank you for making yourself clear. But I agree, Paracha has always had a bit of a reputation of being a bit too harsh on some parties, while he may be soft on others. That said, I also think that the criticism on some parties from Paracha is justified.

I was trying to say in a broader perspective, it’s not merely a matter of ‘Go America Go’ slogan. The hypocrisy remains in all of our leaders and even in us. You must go and watch the student rallies like I used to do when I was studying and the past speeches of their leaders and you will figure out. By the way I liked it that someone did comment, as it needs courage. As far as the blog is concerned, I would like Mr Paracha to write and comment on all of the leaders so that it could not damage his reputation by criticising one party and praising the other. By the way, I would appreciate if my comments are not taken personally.

yet another brilliant article from NFP…..i am a big fan of u sir!!…have read all your articles in dawn and chowk…keep writing sir..for change is the new word undying word for undying hope and faith across the world.NFP ROCKS!!

Asif said:
“Where is Mr.Zardari’s Family? Where is Mr. Nawaz Sharif family these days? Where is Mr. Shaukat (from IBA)? All of the families are either in US or somewhere else living comfortable lives , very very far from Bomb Blasts. Where is Mr. Altaf residing these days. I guess he has given up the citizenship of Pakistan as well.”

This long question has a pretty short answer, really. NONE of these leaders have ever been heard saying “Go America Go,” or “We hate America.”
Had they been so aggressively anti-US like the hypocritical Jammat-e-Islami is, then I’m sure Paracha would have dealt them the same blow.

Get you logic fixed, dear brother.

Thank you Mr Paracha for telling us what we actually are – a nation of munafiqeen. That is why we command no respect not only in the Islamic but in the entire world.

We should all pray hard now for good sense to prevail in all facets of our lives coupled with the sincerest of efforts to revive our true identity as a resilient Nation of Muslims.

Hi,
According to “International Relations” , there is no permanent friend or enemy on the global stage; today’s friend can be tomorrow’s enemy and vice versa.
Fi aman Allah!

Just because someone downrightly condemn the course of action of US, like the go america go incident quoted above, doesnot deprive him from the right to get a US visa, for whatever purpose it may be.

to sanjeev
stop calling pakistanis pakis. it’s a racist label and you know better.
you want to sound like caring for us but have given away your hatred for all things pakistanis by calling all of us religously toxicated.
it is this patronizing attitude of indians that is realy at the root of india-pakistan relation problems.

(Go America Go!!)…. thought the hypocritical clerics were rallying behind amreeeka…. *confused*

Mr.Paracha, Where is Mr.Zardari’s Family? Where is Mr. Nawaz Sharif family these days? Where is Mr. Shaukat (from IBA) who ruled our country and sent it into further economic problems ? All of the families are either in US or somewhere else living comfortable lives , very very far from Bomb Blasts. Where is Mr. Altaf residing these days. I guess he has given up the citizenship of Pakistan as well. Who cares Mr. Paracha, Who cares…….I wished we had at least one who we can trust.

I fully agree with the hypocrisy of the JI banners. By not contesting the elections, JI has been made irrelevant and is using public sentiment to show street power that it has lost to others decades ago. I believe that if the politicians do not get their act together to revive the economy by providing stability then the only options remaining to the population of Pakistan would be “Go to America” “Go to Europe” “Go anywhere but here”

My daughter’s Islamic History teacher in Pakistan had all bad things to say about America till the day she received her green card and moved to the US.

What was more interesting were the links of the Interview of Farooq Maududi and his opinions on JI. I would like to read his opinion on Ahmedi Muslims and his stand on Shariah Laws.
Good, informative work once again NFP.

US and western world are allies of none. Their only concerns are their own interests. The better your people understand it soon. If the US is giving aid to pakistan then they will get their interests served more than the money they spend for aid.

do Pakistan any secular party ? I am amazed how any ISLAMIC republic can have secular polity. The world Islamic and secular doesn’t go together.

Rest politicians everywhere are hypocrites. Its not new to pakistan.

“Relgion is opium of masses” so politicians can easily use it to polarise people.

I am surprised still people like “Majid” dream of CALIPHATE. come out of medieval era man !

Good article Nadeem. Atleast you are trying to detoxify pakis from their religiously toxicated mentality.

Some of the commentators seems genuinely good brains ‘yaha’is one of them.

hats off to ‘Yaha’.
NADEEM F PARACHA ROCKS

I think JI has realized his passed mistakes after analyzing the ground realities of US policies which are also double standard whereas JI learned alot while being a member of MMA however the differences of JUI & JI has been to much which JUP & Others cant hold

Asalamualaikum

The existence of America in and around Pakistan has always been a matter of problem. Few years back i had gone through a book of Mr. Qudratullah Shihab ex-civil servant (origin erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State) wherein he has stated that how subservient the people at the helm of affairs have been to Americans.

America has always helped Pakistan only for its own interests whether it is in Cold War or now in so called war on terror. In cold war it was for the destruction of socialist state and now it is for the destruction of the Islamists viz., Taliban and Alqaeda.

May be at times the interests became common like when Soviets entered in Afghanistan and now when war of Taliban against US has turned into war against Pakistani State (reasons everyone to guess).

However, Americans never came to the rescue of Pakistan whenever it had been in trouble whether it is in 1965 or at the time of partition of Bangladesh.
Pakistan looks to be weak despite being a nuclear power, the big reason is that they never try to build of their own but to imitate.

In sofar the case of JI is concerned their change in their foreign policy outlook is not bad but it needs to be analysed whether it is in the interst of Pakistan as an Islamic nation or not. Nations ought to be abolute in so far ideologies are concerned and in case foreign it is mere interests.

Hamid Nilnagi

In the ‘Preface’ of his deewan ‘Aahang’ Joun Aliya had prais the Ulema of ‘Jamilat-ul-Ulema-e-Hind’ and other Indian Muslim scholars who were against the partition of Indian continent in the highest possible terms. I was impressed with the clarity of his approach. Finding myslef in the same party held in his honor I approached him and gave him full credit to his sincerity, honesty, objectivity and non-partisanship in his admiration of those Ulemas. He smiled at my compliments and said cryptically:
“It was a left handed adoration and was meant to tell these so-called scholars of Pakistan what non-descriptive and worthless they are.”
I was aghast and I still don’t know what to make out his comments and whom to believe.

Interesting article! That is why people should realize that all parties are selfish. Their leaders use public (and students) for their own purposes.

Its time for people to wake up and become selfish rather being loyal to any of political parties and personalities.

Hopefully this will happen in Pakistan some day too – like most of the western world where people will remove a political leader from political scene forever just for minor mistakes.

Simply “well presented!”. I am thankful to Mr.Paracha for introducing me to Haider Farooq Mawdudi’s thought. I just wonder what happened to his group?

An excellent blog, during my studies at Karachi i myself have observed this face of IJT, the good thing is that our society has started unfolding, now we have the confidence to think what was unthought in the past and its truely the hard time for the hyprocates, these people will not be able to maintain a balance within their families as their own children will come back to them with the critical questions. There should be a permenant space on the web with the name of HYPOCRACY UNFOLDED and the people should have the opportunity to reflect upon their immediate surronding to expose the hyprocracy which exist.

America bashing is as old as the history of Pakistan. All that hoopla against US is for public consumption. Saudi Arabia is one of the supporters of American policy all over the world. I have not heard a single sermon by JI mullahs against Saudi Arabia. Double standard is the name of the game.

Your article proves that in Pakistan left and right have similar genes, only they change their stance with the flow of dollars.

Does it mean that now the author supports US policies? has Mr Paracha switched roles and now defends US as the jamat did then? One is led to think that what he was actively involved in his college days was support of afghanistan’s invasion by soviets.

I feel that the allegations against the Jamaat with respect their secret love affair with the US are somewhat unsubstantiated. In actual fact, is it just a few Jamaat leaders who have children in the US or is this a strong trend or a general rule? I would only be concerned about this if I found that a majority of Jamaat leaders have children in the US. If this happens only in a few exceptional cases, I’m afraid it doesn’t really mean anything at all.

An interesting question: hypothetically, if the non-JI student protesters from the 80’s existed today, would they be against US intervention and burn their flag still, or let the status quo be?

If not protesting against the States now, then wouldn’t that reversal in stance be the same thing as what the JI is doing?

Would a person during the Zia protests, back then, still have gone to the States given the chance despite their displeasures then?

As in the past US had supported a dictator with their intervention. Today, post-Bush, they’re with a political government. Is that enough reason to now acknowledge them as an ally, despite the excursions that infringe on our sovereignty, even though we do need help to fight terrorists?

Its not just a JI thing, though their students were, and perhaps still, pretty radical (Irony is their political party is the only one I know that holds in-house party elections to vote for their next leader, while the proclaimed secular parties do not and run on autocracy!). I think many Pakistanis are overall hypocrites when it comes to many principles, and they brush it off simply as being ‘Chalak’.

Very well written. Keep it up.
Truly reveals how these so called relegious parties are making peoples fool. donot forget to mention that the childerns of higher leadership of JI are also studying in USA. Shame on them!!!!!

I enjoyed this. Its the first non-news account I’ve read from someone who’s been in the thick of violent or confrontational protests in Pakistan. I’m not a big fan of student protests, wielding petro bombs, but I understand what they were rebelling against…a dictatorship.

Probably explains where NFP is coming from and why he condoned the actions of pro-PPP Jiyalas that thrashed an art exhibition…which wasn’t cool and should have been condemned instead, despite the objectionable painting.

Its a good article. In the future though I’d like to see some criticism of the PPP led government’s faults as well as he has already done with the rest of the political parties spectrum, and notes the irony of the current US and Pakistan relations.

Changing an opinion after 20 years when circumstances are completely changed is not hypocrisy. It is correctly said that there are no permanent friends or enemies – only permanent interests.

It is also possible that your kids could be living in US – implying that you appreciate US civil society but you disagree with specific policies of the administration as they apply to your country. Again to me that is not hypocrisy. In any event, you may not have any control over what your kids choose to do.

But the thing I do agree with is that there is a need for introspection to identify which problems are caused by your own self instead of constantly blaming outsiders for all problems. This is because you have much greater control over your own actions than that of others.

Finally to the gentleman advocating single caliphate- just one question: Why is US providing more aid to the IDPs compared to all the OIC (Organization of Islamic Countries) put together?

The most refreshing thing about this site is the intellectual caliber of the commentors…not all mind you, but sufficient to give you hope that Pakistan has a future. It seems we have turned a corner, ever so slightly, but definitely.

It is a very interesting subject and controversial too. The role of political religious parties has forced me to have second thoughts about religion . Once i do my own research and use common sense,religion is all right for me, once i see this same religion with the help of so called “ULEMA’S”, I get disgusted. I think we should ban political parties carrying religious face and vice verse. Religion has to be separated from politics at all cost.State should not intervene in religious matters and religious scholars should not be allowed to have anything with state matters

I can’t help but wonder why a phrase such as “Go America Go” would be the slogan used by a group of people essentially wanting to condemn USA? In everyday verbiage, it would normally amount to rooting for or cheering America, to my pleasure actually. But then I used to wonder the same when lawyers came up with “Go Musharraf Go”.

Won’t it be better if JI or for that matter even the lawyers had picked a language they knew reasonably well? I mean I don’t mind the entertainment I personally get from either, just as I watched in amusement when QHA announced the “Million” men march years ago ostensibly without having a clue as to what the word “Million” meant

Burning someone’s national flag is a serious crime, but Pakistanis take it as a fun. Shame on those who show such disrespectful behaviour.

Mr Nadeem ,
Cultivate reason and encourage your readers to think .Smoke and haze lend glamour to a photograph . Thought must be lucid . More of the statements be derived rather than be dropped as judgements . What is good for Pakistan is inherently good for South Asia . Neither JI or RSSs love for US nor your present inclination towards US serve as points of reference . Pakistani readers have the knack for dry reasoning . Do not sow seeds of confusion .
It will not impair your style if you are your natural witty self .
R.V.S.Sharma

Nice one Mr. Paracha…reminds me of my good times in Dawood Engineering College… Knuckle dusters, bottles, chains, guns! and occasionally books too! (atleast for me)

but yes, as you now reflect upon your time in your college, i reflect upon my time in mine and its a sad reality that opinion leaders are true hypocrites. I cant talk of maududi cos i never met him, but yes, the jamat guys forbidding us to smoke in college, were the ones who asked for hash outside of it! who

we need opinion leaders sound in their opinion which should be based on national interests.

Nice article to identify the hypocrisy within political leaders who use Islam as political tool for their personal interests but above all it is very disappointing to see that still good number of people follow them instead of using common-sense….

I think mr. paracha got it all wrong. Actually problem in this case was lack of education. The protestor wanted to write “GO TO AMERICA”, but instead ended up writing “GO AMERICA GO”.

behavior of JI proves the constructivist theory of IR where perception plays a pivotal role and how perceptions are altered. one more important point: some one in the blog says ideas can be changed. Dear, ideas in platonic way can’t be changed and universals are billiard balls. instead of ideology we must talk about pragmatism as violence goes hand in hand with ideology and all ideologies are based on some ideas and ideas are unchanging as pointed out by Plato in theory of forms some more than two millenia ago.

sarwar,
then if we and the Iranians should not follow the “American agenda,” what is our own agenda?

Floating fiery and flowery slogans about Islam is nothing but hollow sloganeering. It is laden with contradictions, as Paracha rightly mentions in this article.

And btw, Iran’s stand against the US has absolutely nothing to do with the SHIA SCHOOL of THOUGHT.
It was a political move. And as already mentioned in an elaborate piece by Paracha on these pages (Maududi’s Children), we know what happens when regimes mix politics with religion.

Their so-called ‘independent’ stance meant nothing. And now look what is happening there. Their young generations want to end the isolation Iran got itself into by pretending to have an “independent” policy.

Yes this double standard is seen quite often. they would want others to be against the US but their own children would be studying in America. they have no shame no regrets or anything of that sort. this is one of the reasons that we do not want to follow the religious effigies. Better to follow movie actors coz they relate more to reality than these religious super stars. I must say that so far as hypocrisy is concerned the movie stars are far behind these people.. if we want to learn something good about life may be we should head towards a disco or a club. at least there will be more originality. whatever problems we are facing today are because of a person who had used the name of religion to keep hemsilf in power.
To be honest, more than the IDP’s, Islam has been treated very badly by its own people. the real beauty, its essence could never reach the public in its real form for which the religious leaders must be blamed. due to their own deeds the position of ulemas which should have been very prestigious is looked at contemptuously.

Yawar,
Did i used anywhere “Iranians”. condemning US doesnt means its land or its people. it is simply for the regime. following agenda to maintain its supremacy.

Sarwar
Did you know how many Iranians ended up studying and living in the US??
The issue like some people rightly mentioned is that why always look at US for all the ills in your country, and ignore where your own people might be going wrong.
Are we angels?

Here i would like to appreciate the stand of “SHIA SCHOOL OF THOUGHT ” during the cold war and even in post cold war Era, with one slogan, no repentence ” Na Roos Na America, Super Power hai Khuda ” ( neither Russia nor America, super power is Allah)…. Shia spiritual leader, sent an open letter in 1988 to then President Gorbachev of USSR, with an invitation to accept Islam and clearly given him the future of Communism. ” As too soon Communisn will be found in the world’s political museum.”
within couple of years world has witnessed his forecast. Still in this unipolar world ” the Shia school of thought” keeps same stand seems more clear in their visions.

Interesting piece …
But I do feel uncomfortable with the “message”, assuming I got it right.
I don’t see anything wrong with changing ideas; only fools keep sticking to their ideas even in the face of proof that they are full of flaws.
Rather than “accusing” JI, or whoever, of hypocrisy, I would say it is a sign of immaturity to keep accusing others of your grievances. It doesn’t mean I don’t think the US has a big hand in our affairs, just that it would be harmless if it weren’t for our own people who allow it to work.
Unfortunately it is the same “external-looking” attitude that leads people to say things like: “remember one day, you will be judged by the Almighty!”. Why do we ever have to bother about that? Why can’t we simply internalize certain thoughts? Does it mean you do it simply because you fear that judgement and not because you are convinced of the fact??
And then there are these “absoluters”! ONLY unity under a caliphate will … !!! Why?
And this guy wants to implement Islamic ideology in order to gain intellectual progress, economic strength and MILITARY POWER!! Hey, muscle man, apart from the fact that this is totally without foundation, how will it ever provide light to even your own country, not to talk of the rest of the world?? God save us from such fundamentalist thinking!

NFP you rock !
You are really doing good job by exposing real face of hypocrite JI !

I many times do not agree with Mr. Paracha, however I am happy that someone remembers history and throws it on the face of the politicians.

Good article.

Zarbardast, NFP. Mazah agayah. There was never any doubt about the double or tripple standards of parties like JI. But the way you exposed them hit the nail right on the head.
All power to you, bro. Keep the stinging pieces coming.

Well written, thought provoking and down right spot-on!!Of late, I have found Mr.Paracha’s articles to be inaccurate opinions of a confused liberal but this one,here, has redeemed his reputation. Well done sir, kudos to you.

majid wrote:
“The only solution for problems of Pakistan and muslum ummah is the unity Under a single Caliphate …”

Dude, are you serious? I hope this statement was a parody of the modern demand by some of our Mulsim brothers about wanting a Caliphate.

Next thing you know you’ll be demanding JI’s Munawar Hussain to be the Kalifah.

And for heavens sake stop this “single chalipate” studff. There are muslims of many creeds, nationalities, languages, colour and cultures. So when you talk about them coming under a single caliphate, your are in essence talking about a totalitarian set-up.
Gimme a break.

When we consider the tire burning and clashing crowds of UNEDUCATED lawyers and poor peasants as dhanga fasad….then we should see the hypocracy in the fact that this preacher is no different in his background and mode of action than the one he talks about.

This is a perfect case of Hypocracy. Fits the subject matter more than the subject.

Lets look at the brighter side, 10 years ago JI were chanting “Go Soviets Go”, now they have reached a mental evolution where they say “Go America Go”. Maybe in another 10 years they will accept Obama, if they manage to survive as a political party, that is !!

The only solution for problems of Pakistan and muslum ummah is the unity Under a single Caliphate and Implementing Islam as an ideology as a system so that Intellectual progress,economic strength and military power could be acheived and we should be the giving light to the world

Top piece once again, Paracha. I agree with you, the JI’s now indeologically bankrupt. I appreciate that people like you who used to sing praises of Marx and Communism as students are ready to claim that you can be contradictory.
But, of course, the Jamat brigade will never have the same gutts and honesty to own up to the fact that they were once the US’s staunchest allies, doing that country’s dirty work against Pakistani leftists and pro-Soviet elements.

The very person we must blame is ourselves when it comes to hiprocacy. As a devout Moslem, I have found my fellow Moslem to be the most deceitful and hypocratic. Instead of focusing our blame upon others, we should point the finger at ourselves. There comes a time and point that we will be held accountable for our actions that further distance ourselves from the developing world. When yo live in the past, you have no future. So, please when looking to judger a person or persons, be smart to know that one day we will all be judged by the Almighty God. Education leads to progression and that leads to society. Society should not dictate public activity or obedience. It is in ourselves to act civil in a civil society.